Beleskey, Ducks beat Hurricanes 2-1

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Matt Beleskey had the go-ahead goal and an assist and the Anaheim Ducks snapped a three-game losing streak by beating the Carolina Hurricanes 2-1 on Thursday night.

Francois Beauchemin and Beleskey scored 2:52 apart in the second period to help the Pacific Division leaders improve to 24-0-7 in one-goal games.

Jeff Skinner scored a power-play goal for Carolina, which had its two-game winning streak snapped.

In his first start since Oct. 30, John Gibson made 35 saves for Anaheim and Cam Ward stopped 15 shots for the Hurricanes.

The Ducks gave up five goals on 23 shots at Tampa Bay on Sunday, then allowed six goals on 26 shots two nights later at Florida.

On Thursday, Carolina outshot Anaheim 36-17 but struggled to get anything past Gibson — who stopped all seven shots he faced in the third period and kept Carolina scoreless during a 6-on-4 for the final 32.3 seconds.

Beauchemin tied it at 1 at 14:38 of the second by scoring into an open net after Ward went on his knees away from the net to stop Corey Perry. Beleskey then put the Ducks ahead to stay at 17:30 of second when he poked the puck off Victor Rask’s stick and past Ward.

The goals didn’t come quite as frequently as they did during the teams’ previous meeting — a 5-4 overtime win for the Ducks nine nights earlier in Anaheim.

The Ducks entered having allowed 16 goals during the first four games of their Eastern road trip. Carolina had scored at least three goals in eight of its past 12 games.

Neither team could manage anything until Skinner caught a break on a second-period power play.

Rask drew a slashing call on Hampus Lindholm, and 31 seconds into the penalty, Skinner let a wrist shot fly that appeared to deflect off Gibson and flutter behind the goalie at 9:40.

NOTES: Beleskey also rang the post during a third-period power play. … Carolina D Tim Gleason and Anaheim RW Tim Jackman dropped the gloves a few minutes after Skinner’s goal. … A pregame moment of silence was held for the three victims of a shooting earlier this week in nearby Chapel Hill.